Greymouth demolitions: Town ‘turning a corner’
From local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
The imminent demolition of a prominent old building in the Greymouth CBD is a sign the town is “turning a corner”, mayor Tania Gibson says.
As the clock ticks towards buildings needing to be brought up to seismic standards under new building standards, the landowner of much of the Greymouth CBD has started to move on buildings already abandoned by their previous owners.
Mawhera Incorporation confirmed today the two-storey Duncan Hardie building in Mackey St will be levelled within a couple of months.
“It is coming down shortly – I'd say before the end of July,” incorporation secretary Sam Wheelans said on Monday.
Until recently the old building housed an institution of the Greymouth dining experience, the Bonzai Pizzaria, among other professional and retail tenants.
A “full assessment” for asbestos was required first to decide how the building would be taken down.
Several other buildings in and around the CBD were also earmarked. Broadcasting House, next to Duncan Hardie, was the first to come down.
Mawhera Incorporation is under way with a new retail building on that site, opposite the library.
“There was a sort of master plan. We've started down from that end, working towards The Warehouse.”
Wheelans said the incorporation was still open to saving some of the old buildings.
“We might fix them up if there is interest.”
Meanwhile, the new premises being built by Mawhera for Noel Leeming was a sign of things to come, and redevelopment of the Duncan Hardie site next door was another possibility.
“We will do something with the Duncan Hardie site ... we will be redeveloping it.
“What we put there will be a discussion for upcoming (Mawhera) meetings ... We're trying to move forward.”
Becks Building is the immediate neighbour to Duncan Hardie. Owner Stewart Nimmo said he understood Duncan Hardie would be cleared “fairly soon”.
“At present our building, they're going to leave it.”
Another abandoned premises on the other side of the Becks building was to be demolished with the Duncan Hardie building, but was now being left due to the shared wall.
Nimmo said he still preferred to save Becks, but investing in it was complex given the land and the return on investment.
“It is a difficult thing; I'd love to strengthen it ... at present there is no decision. It would be fair to say that the future is uncertain.”
Greymouth mayor Tania Gibson said visible demolition and building activity finally starting to happen was heartening.
The Pounamu Pathway development, together with the new Noel Leeming building, and plans by the council to leave its current Mawhera leasehold site in Mackay St and rebuild on a new site are indicative.
“We're definitely starting to see progress with the major rebuilds ... One step at a time, but now we can see something visually happening. We're now turning a corner but we've still got a long way to go.”
Gibson said she understood a proposal by Mawhera Incorporation to open up a rubble site on its own land at Kaiata was also now moving.
But she noted the costs of any new building in the CBD was complex due to the land ownership question aside from the initial demolition factors.
“There's movement but it costs a lot of money to get those buildings down – that is a process in itself.
“I believe with Duncan Hardie there is a process to work through with the right people to do that.
“It is promising – I know when those buildings come down, I get quite excited.”
However, that was also tempered by grief in the community of a loss of the historic value of some sites, “but the owners aren't doing them up”.
Wheelans said the landfill aspect was being handled via a consultant on behalf of Mawhera and at this stage he could not say what stage that was at.
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A reminder this hunting season
As thousands of hunters are making their plans for autumn – the Roar – recreational firearms groups are urging hunters to always be 100% sure of their targets.
Te Tari Pureke - Firearms Safety Authority NZ, which chairs the Recreational Firearms Users Group, has begun a public information campaign reminding hunters everywhere of Rule #4 of the Firearms Safety Code: to identify their target beyond all doubt.
Director Communities and Corporate, Mike McIlraith, says there is an estimated 50,000-60,000 New Zealanders involved in big game animal hunting each year, and the Roar is the key event for many hunters each year.
“The Roar is a fantastic time of year for hunters to get out into the hills after a trophy animal but hunting safely and making sure everyone gets home in one piece, still must be the most important goal of every trip,” says Mike McIlraith.
“The consequences of not fully identifying your target beyond all doubt can be catastrophic. Our message to hunters is a really simple one: If you are not sure, then don’t shoot.”
Mike McIlraith says while hunting fatalities are thankfully rare, research has shown that misidentification of the target is the largest firearms related risk to New Zealand deer hunters, and 80% of the time this involves members of the same hunting group.
The Authority says hunters should not feel pressured to take a shot: “Instead, hunters should take the time to analyse their target, wait and see if it is a hind or stag, how old is the animal, how many points does its antlers have? Identifying your target means never firing at sound, shape, colour or movement alone.”
Mike McIlraith says good hunters will slow down, and run through some simple mental checks:
- Can I see the whole animal, or could this be another hunter?
- Where are my hunting companions – could this be them or someone else?
- How much of the animal can you see, if it is a hind or stag, how old is the animal, how - many points does its antlers have?
“Taking a little extra time to identify your target and check the firing zone is the key to safer hunting. No meat or no trophy is better than no mate,” he says.
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